By Ross Barnett (APM)

Qld Racing Integrity Commissioner

When the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) commenced in mid-2016 one of our first tasks was to establish a life cycle tracking mechanism for Queensland’s racing greyhounds.

The Commission embarked on a multi-million-dollar project to deliver this via an online portal and progressively this portal has been made available to participants to register and apply for licences.

I am pleased to announce that this task is now complete and will lead the industry in tracking the birth to deregistration greyhound life-cycle.

This effectively means greyhound racing participants can now carry out all of their business with the Commission online.

A range of new functionality that allows greyhound participants to manage their greyhounds is now fully functioning and importantly it provides the Commission with the information it needs to effectively track a greyhound from birth to deregistration for the first time.

Participants can register a service, whelping and a litter, they can name a greyhound, register off-track illnesses and injuries, transfer ownership within Queensland and interstate, they can change a kennel within Queensland and interstate and register a breeding female.  Participants can also apply for an exception for breeding females, register vaccinations and carry out the function for deregistrations/retirements.

These online functions are in addition to those that have been available for some time such updating contact details at any time, and apply for and renew the following licences, Owner, Trainer Class 1,2 and 3, Breeder Category 1, 2, 3 and 4, Studmaster, Training Track Operator and Kennel Attendant.

Participants can also register kennel addresses, complete an ‘other animal’ declaration and an animal welfare statutory declaration.

The delivery of these services to the greyhound racing industry has meant the development of a new online portal built specifically for the Queensland greyhound racing industry. It now holds data from here on that is Queensland-owned data that can be used to track the integrity measures associated with the greyhound industry more effectively.

The data will allow the Commission to report for the very first time with our own data on wastage in the industry.

Wastage is animals that are bred for the industry that are never raced and are not rehomed, retired animals that are suitable for rehoming, but are not rehomed and retired animals that are not suitable for rehoming.

All greyhound racing participants are encouraged to access the online portal on the QRIC website qric.qld.gov.au to establish a secure log-in using a unique email address.

To establish an online presence, participants are required provide an up-to-date phone number, proof of identity, photo and right to work in Australia.

For further information contact the Commission at licensing@qric.qld.gov.au